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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEConnecticut Department of Public Health

Hartford –According to the latest national survey by The United Health Foundation, Connecticut is the third healthiest state in the nation in 2011, up one spot from last year.

The annual report, America’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities, focuses on four groups of health determinants: behaviors, community and environment, public and health policies, and clinical care, along with resultant health outcomes to come up with a single, comprehensive view of the overall health of each state.

“Connecticut’s ranking as the third healthiest state in the nation is good news, and shows that the efforts of public health agencies, health care professionals, policy-makers and others who are committed to a healthy Connecticut are working,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Jewel Mullen. “The America’s Health Ranking report provides important insight into our health status, and challenges us to build on our successes to make Connecticut even healthier - especially among population groups experiencing the greatest burden of disease in our state.”

The report identified Connecticut’s low prevalence of smoking, lower prevalence of obesity than most other states, low percentage of children in poverty, and high immunization coverage as strengths. Challenges identified in the report were high prevalence of binge drinking and moderate levels of air pollution.

Vermont and New Hampshire were respectively ranked above Connecticut as the top two healthiest states in the nation.

America’s Health Rankings is the longest running annual assessment of the nation’s health on a state-by-state basis. America’s Health Rankings is the result of a partnership between United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention. The report can be viewed online at www.americashealthrankings.org.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state. To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.